Good observations, Earthlark! There definitely would be differences in the percentage of light that was usable, especially because plants' ability to use light of different wavelengths is not linear. To really evaluate the situation, you'd have to do some fancy calculations (there are a couple of different ways to do it, but both are beyond easy explanation here). If you look at the light output v. wavelength graph of a typical florescent bulb you'll see that there is a peak that tapers off on both sides but it's not a simple bell-shaped curve. The graph of light that is usable to a plant is a little more complex and will actually include multiple peaks resulting from multiple chlorophyll structures. You'd have to combine these graphs to get an idea of exactly what was going on. As to the 100 lumen difference in the different lights, I wouldn't worry about it for that difference in price. If you were buying lights for a large facility, it might be worth lots of evaluations. In the case of a simple seed bench, as long as most of the light from the bulbs you choose is usable by the plants (which in the case of a 6500K bulb, it is), the difference isn't going to be great. The bigger problem (as far as fluorescent bulbs go) is mostly on the lower wavelength end. Yes reflectors can make a big difference. It's been a while since I was fixture shopping, but the last fixtures I got had economy-grade reflectors and were actually a little cheaper than the ones without reflectors, from the best I can remember. The economy-grade reflectors weren't quite as efficient, but their small size allowed me to add another fixture for each shelf, which gave me even more light and better plant performance.

Liriodendron, nice work! Thanks for your well-written piece. Great advice. I will add that architectural historians find that the kitchen is almost always updated when people lay hands on an old house, even back a century or more in past, so an old house kitchen may have been a stylistic mismatch with a house's pre-Civil War provenance for a very long time. As for lighting, electricity was unavailable until 1880s and many rural areas did not have it until the Depression brought in the Rural Electrification project. If you want historical flavor, get something with candle look or mock kerosene/gas fittings and perhaps a clear glass chimney. There are a lot of wrought iron skinny arm faux candle lighting pieces showing up on the GW these days. They're perfect. Copper, tin, wood are all good also. Hang them over the table and a work area or two or mount them on the wall. Go ahead and install a lot of recessed lights if you must, but put in one or two other fixtures that indicate that you're serious about honoring the past. No, don't do a schoolhouse fixture. Remember that in this period lighting was by window as much as possible--it was a social blunder to stand in someone's light. The comments above about windows are excellent. I would add that plain white cotton or linen curtains are extremely appropriate, and not fussy ones but ones that follow the advice typically given for Scandinavian style, with light-admitting fabric and simple methods of hanging them, sans decorated rods, etc. A line of lace or embroidery or a contrasting trim at most. I've been hoping to find a thread suitable to recommend "Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping," one of my reference cookbooks for historical cooking. Originally printed 1876, reprinted by Minn Hist Soc. 1988. This looks like the right moment. From the chapter on Kitchens.. "It is almost impossible to give any directions except in a general way regarding the kitchen, as there is an endless variety of plans and arrangement. The main point is to systematize every thing, grouping such things as belong to any particular kind of work. For instance, in baking do not go to the china closet for a bowl, across the kitchen for the flour, and to the farther end of the pantry or store-room for an egg, when they may all just as well be within easy reach of each other. Study and contrive to bring order out of the natural chaos of the kitchen, and the head will save the hands and feet much labor. "If kitchen floors are simply oiled two or three times a year, no grease spot is made when grease drops on them, for it can be easily wiped up--carpet or paint is not advisable. Neither paint nor paper the walls, but once a year apply a coat of the good old-fashioned whitewash. Do not have the wood-work painted; the native wood well oiled and varnished lightly is much the best finish. A wide, roomy dresser is a great convenience; it should have two wide closets below and three narrower ones above, with a row of drawers at top of lower closets. Here should be kept all pots and kettles, sauce-pans, waffle-irons, kitchen crockery, tins, etc., all arranged and grouped together so as to be convenient for use. If possible, have good sliding doors, and at top and bottom of same have a narrow sliding panel for a ventilator, which should be closed when sweeping. By this arrangement every article of kitchen ware can be inclosed from the dust and flies. A well-appointed sink is a necessity in every kitchen, and should be near both window and range, so as to have light, and also be convenient to the hot water. It should be provided with a 'grooved' and movable dish drainer, set so as to drain into the sink. Always have bracket or wall lamps placed at each end, or at the sides, so that the room may be well lighted in the evening. The sink should be washed and wiped dry daily, or it will become foul, especially if the weather is warm. When possible, a long table at the end of the sink, and so close to it that water can not drip between, on which to dress vegetables, poultry, game, etc., saves time and steps; and the good light, which is a necessity in this part of the room, leaves no excuse for slighted or slovenly work. Under this table may be two drawers, with compartments in one for polishing materials, chamois leather, and articles needed for scouring tin and copper; and in the other, articles for keeping the stove or range in order. Back of the table and sink, the wall should be ceiled with wood for three feet above them, and here may be put up galvanized iron hooks and nails on which to hang basting-spoons, ladles, cooking forks and spoons, the chopping-knife, cake-turner, etc. A set of drawers close at hand for salt, pepper, and spices is also convenient. There should never be bevel, beading, or molding on kitchen window or door frames; and the kitchen door, leading to the dining room, should be faced with rubber and closed with a not too strong spring. Not less than three large windows are desirable in every kitchen, which should be cheerful, pleasant, well ventilated, convenient, and clean. "In houses of the old style [this means pre-Civil War] there was either no pantry at all, the kitchen being furnished with a dresser and shelves, or it was merely a small closet to hold the articles in less common use. In modern houses [in 1877] the pantry is next in importance to the kitchen, and it should be so arranged us to accommodate all the appliances used in cookery, as well as the china, glass-ware, cutlery, and other articles for the table, unless a dresser is used as before suggested. In arranging a plan for building, the pantry should receive careful consideration, as next in importance to the kitchen; it should be sufficiently roomy, open into both the dining-room and the kitchen, and, in order to 'save steps,' should be as convenient to the range or cooking-stove as circumstances will allow. The window should be placed so as to give light without infringing on the shelving; the shelves should be so arranged as to not obstruct the light from it; the lower ones should be two and a half feet from the floor, and two feet or more in width, and project about three inches beyond the closets and drawers below; and the part near the window, where there is no shelving, may be used for molding and preparing pastry, and such other work as may be most conveniently done here. Other shelves, or a china closet, should be provided for the china and other table furniture in every-day use. The pantry should have an abundance of drawers and closets, of which it is hardly possible to have too many--the upper closets for the nicer china and glass, and the lower ones to hold pans and other cooking utensils in less frequent use. The drawers are for table-linen and the many uses the housekeeper will find for them. If possible, the window should be on the north side, but in any case it should have blinds for shade, and a wire gauze or other screen to keep out flies. Instead of spreading shelves with paper, a neat marbled oil-cloth is better, as it is easily cleaned." [more of the text available on Google Book Search, a wonderful resource]

So, I've been working on this potting bench. It seems I cannot do anything small. Cook. Build. Acquire. Go figure. I'll post pictures when I'm further along. So far, it's 6'2" tall x 7'3" wide and will fit at the end of my porch where it'll also act as a bannister for the 4' drop. I also realized that my 24' raised bed, my little garden bench, and this potting bench are all made of materials I already have. I've spent $6.00 for a bale of hay for the raised bed lasagna garden, but the lumber & screws? All mine. If I paint this stuff, I even have that. Yeah for me! Ye Great Hoarder-ess of Building Materials! It's SO windy today, though, I had to stop. It's a beautiful day, but the wind is blowing me sideways. That led me to my next idea. (I need to build some more raised beds to keep these guys from driving across the entire lawn, but I'm jumping around.) I'm trying to figure out how to make a moon gate between two gardens. I'd need it to have at least a 36" open base to walk through, and like it to be at least 8' tall. At the base, I could actually bury the bottom of something in a circle if leaving it open turned out not to be an option. Now, building it myself precludes stone and brick. Wood would be iffy for me. I have no idea how to work metal. I have it in my head that I could use to lengths of some kind of flexible conduit running side by side, but have no idea if such a thing exists. I'd have to bridge the two circles, but that's not as difficult as finding the right material. Here's my inspiration: Any ideas for me? Also, a2gemini, go to a nursery that does hardscapes, too. As to see their junk pile. Pieces of stuff left over from jobs they (are to lazy to) put away in usually a pile. Some places sell them at regular price, but some places just want the junk out of the way. That's where I jump in! Christina22, love the rug. Soft, soft blue. :) Here is a link that might be useful: A Pinterest search of beautiful examples.

@tartanmeup - Interesting thought about the closet door being the same color. What would you do with the trim around the closet? The coffee table is a tad smaller than I expected when I saw it online, but we decided it's fine. It's another one of those trade-offs for a good used furniture find. It's a nice piece by an Italian designer, and I like having it. There's no way I would've dropped the money that Chairish.com says it's worth on it. :) I could definitely see myself putting an entry table by the door if I find something I like! One of the main reasons I have the antique table in its current location is that it provided me with a way to hide our router. I have saved numerous art prints! Friends' artwork, botanical prints, lithographs, art nouveau illustrations, landscapes including some of places we've hiked, Japanese style art, portraits of Sikh noblemen (my partner is Punjabi), etc., etc. I love art. I already got my husband to help narrow down our favorites, so I'll start ordering stuff soon. I was going to wait until after we'd painted, but I'm happy with your advice not to delay it any longer. I will definitely check out that blog! Thank you for the reminder to have fun! @User - As soon as I typed it, I came back around to the idea of having the kitty corner! You're right, it would provide me with a great opportunity to create a hard line, and the cats would love it. It wouldn't be difficult to find somewhere else in the house for those photo frames. I never thought about it being a full on condo, but that's intriguing. I'd have to warm up to the stencil idea some more, but I see what you're saying. Playing with paneling seems like it could be fun. I like the pedestal idea. Putting shelves under the stairs would be *amazing*. A dream. I love built-in shelves. We do have a rather large vent and an electrical outlet there, though. On the other side of our staircase wall is a little hallway to the garage with a laundry closet. The closet ceiling is at an angle like the stairs. There's probably a lot going on behind that wall. I've definitely thought about how lovely it would be to put the wing chair in the corner with the plant, similar to the corner in the photo. The arrangement in the photo is so charming, isn't it? I seem to have picked up the same globe light, too. Just looking at the room in person, though, I can already tell that the wall with the couch and wingback chair would feel very smushed. Angling the couch would also be tricky without it messing with the path to the French doors. I have thought about putting the couch across the room! Maybe I'll try it out one day to see how it feels. There are some dents in the couch fabric on the back where the previous owner shoved it against some wall outlets, LOL. I've tried vacuuming it out with no luck. I'd have to cover that with the console table decor. Another trade-off for finding nice furniture on the cheap! Overall, I think I'm okay with the seating placement the way it is for now. :) I did move the wingback chairs closer together like you suggested, I just mentioned in the response to tartanmeup above this one that I've saved many art prints. I will definitely be ordering art in different sizes and mediums for visual interest. Thank you both for all of the input! I've never posted on here, and it's been a real treat to bounce ideas off of people who think about this stuff as hard as I do. :D I'm already feeling relieved about continuing with the decorating sans Persian rug, and figuring out the paint color as the last step.